Christmas Cookies!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas everyone! I spent the entire weekend making cookies (and other things) for tonight and tomorrow. I was able to make five types of cookies this year and would love to share them with you. I know I’ve said before on this blog, I’m not a baker, but when it comes to cookies, I rock. Going clockwise, I’ll tell you a little about each cookie and all recipes will follow.

Biscotti -My mother and I have been taking turns making this biscotti recipe for Christmas every year. The recipe is out of one of my old favorite cookbooks, Dom DeLuise’s Eat This…It Will Make You Feel Better. This is a traditional Italian cookie that we must have for Christmas. They are very easy to make as you just need to form the dough into a loaf and then slice it halfway through baking to get the cookies shape.

Snowballs -Some people call these Russian Tea Cakes, I call them Snowballs because that’s what they look like to me! They are delicious, very buttery, just melting in your mouth. I’m not sure where this recipe came from but my mother was making these way before I was.

Chocolate Cherry Drops -This is a new recipe for the year. Unlike all of the other cookies which I make every year, I always throw in a new one. This one came from a very small Hershey cookbook, Hershey’s Favorite Recipes, I got back in the 80’s when I went to Hershey Park with my family. I think it’s an okay cookie, though I wouldn’t make it again. If you make these, leave plenty of room on the baking sheet because they spread a lot.

And last but not least, Chocolate Chip Cookies -I’ve been making this recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook since I was a wee child. These cookies are legend. I’ve tried other recipes but none compare. When I was in high school, I started by bringing them to my fellow cheerleaders and would give them out to the fans, even our mayor would stop by every game to get some! Once I got into college, I made them every weekend during football season for a group of friends, the Fat Boys, who weren’t necessarily fat, but played football and loved these cookies. By the time we were all seniors, the whole football team would stop by their place for these cookies! Richard Bey, who if you don’t remember, was the Jerry Springer before Jerry Springer, even came to our campus during football season. Someone told him about the cookies and he signed an autograph for me, “To the Campus Cookie Lady!” So I can pretty much make these with my eyes closed!

Hope you’ll try them all!

Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

1 c butter

1/2 c packed brown sugar

2 egg yolks

2 c flour

3 T jam

Heat oven to 300 F. Combine butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Shape into one inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Indent each cookie with thumb. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Take out of oven and indent again. Spoon 1/4 tsp of jam into thumbprint. Cool completely before storing. Do not stack cookies, they will stick together. Makes 3 dozen.

Biscotti

2 1/2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 c. margarine

1 c sugar

4 eggs

1 T anise

Sift flour and baking powder in one bowl. In another blend margarine, sugar and eggs (one at a time). Mold into a loaf on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove and slice and turn cookies on side. Bake 10 minutes until slightly browned.

Snowballs

1 c butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c confectionery sugar

Combine butter, vanilla, sugar. Add flour and salt. Form into small balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 -12 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional confectionery sugar.